Neither more nor less

Friday, June 06, 2008

The Park Belongs to the People ? ....

Council person Rosie Mendez speaks above to her decision to change her positon opposing the restaurant to a position supporting the private restaurant in the park pavillion .She was not well received . Indeed some folks present verbally expressed their displeasure with her decision to support restaurateur Danny Meyer's restaurant in the pavillion with boos and other comentary.

Below , shortly after presenting her position on the use of the park's pavillion , Ms. Mendez and a staff member quietly and without ceremony leave the prostest in the northwest corner of Union Square Park .

The reverand Billy takes to the bull horn -- no amplified sound permit here-- to lead the march on the " Olives "restaurant at 17th street and Park Avenue South where his followers will mob the restaurant's windows . Inside , behind those windows , the Union Square Partnership was reported to be dining and politicking .

Arm -in-arm and with a band they march .

It was politics and dining for the folks of the Union Square Partnership inside . Now , outside , it was also politics as the reverand Billy leads his followers in a protest at the windows of the "Olives" restaurant .

After the protest at the windows of the "Olives" restaurant the reverand Billy returns to the concluding protest in the northwest corner of Union Square Park where some one spies "the man who gave the park away" , Manhattan Burough Parks Commisioner Castro . Commisisioner Castro was likely at the dinner at the "Olives" and now after dining and politicking , was on his way home . The reverand Billy rushed over to the commisioner for a brief word . The commisioner was curt in his response to the the reverand Billy .

Apparently not desiring a lengthy conversation , the commisioner stepped quickly to cross Broadway . Realizing as he began to cross Broadway that he was being pursued by the reverand Billy and the press he abruptly changed course mid-street , making a bee-line for a safe-haven in a Radio Shack retail outlet .

After entering the Radio Shack outlet his Parks Dept. security detail arrived on-scene . When it was clear that the street was clear of potential inquisitors ,the press and the reverand Billy , he skedaddled uptown on Broadway .

Thursday afternoon the reverand Billy and others led a protest against the placing of a wealthy restaurateur's , Danny Meyer , restaurant in the Park Pavillion . We believe that currently the issue of whether this private restaurant will be allowed in the pavillion of a public park is back in court before a judge .

The night before the reverand Billy's team had placed a large sign over the parapet of the pavillion emblazoned with the words "Not for Sale".

Baby Doll on Avenue A

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Infinity Vibrating ...

This afternoon Lawrence , standing sternly , tall and very lean in the intersection of 7th street and avenue A , in his characteristically severe manner spoke as forcefully as Stentor himself to the character of the presidential candidates . Lawrence only rarely comes to speak in the East Village these days . Once he was a regular feature of Tompkins Square park and avenue A , speaking almost daily to any who were in earshot .

One day four summers ago Lawrence not only spoke so loudly and intently to the people but also presented a scrolled yards-long missive to the people on the meaning of it all ; how it works and and where it all begins . Unrolled on the side walk a few feet from the intersection of 7th street and avenue A , the chronicle of revelations begins with infinity vibrating . It all reads upward .